1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for information processing and a storage medium therefor. More specifically, the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a program therefor capable of inputting predetermined data (user name, etc.) by utilizing keys or buttons at a hardware (hereinafter, referred to as “HW”) input portion such as a pushbutton switch, a direction key, a joystick, etc. or keys or buttons at a software (hereinafter, referred to as “SW”) input portion which is displayed on a display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As one example of such kind of information processing apparatus, there is a game apparatus with touch panel, like NINTENDO DS (product name). In a game apparatus of this kind, for example, as explained in a reference (NINTENDO DS product instructions (released on December, 2004)), by a selection on a menu screen, a mode selecting software input region 1 is displayed on a displaying portion, and within the mode selecting software input region 1, four SW buttons 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d, an SW button (decision) 3, and an SW button (cancel) 4 are displayed. On the mode selecting screen 1, by touching any one of an option setting function actuating button 2a, a date and time setting function actuating button 2b, a user information setting function activating button 2c and a touch screen setting function actuating button 2d with a touch pen (stylus pen: not illustrated) or the like, a user can activate each function (an option setting function, a date and time setting function, etc.). Furthermore, on the mode selecting screen 1, by an operation of an HW button (cross) to thereby move a cursor left and right, any one of the SW buttons 2a-2d can be selected with the cursor, and by a touch of the SW button (decision) 3 or by an operation of an HW button (A), a function corresponding to the SW button cursor-selected at that time can be then activated.
When the option setting function is activated, a language selecting software input region 5 shown in FIG. 2 for setting a language to be used on the game screen is set to the displaying portion. In the language selecting software input region 5, by touching an SW button indicating a desired language (Japanese, English, etc.), the corresponding SW button can be selected with the cursor. Also, by an operation of the HW button (cross) to thereby move the cursor, any one of the SW buttons can be selected. Then, by a touch of the SW button (decision) 3, a selection of the language corresponding to the SW button currently cursor-selected is decided (the language is set), or by a touch of the SW button (cancel) 4, the displaying portion can be returned to the mode selecting screen 1 without the current language setting being changed.
Furthermore, when the date and time setting function is activated, a time setting software input region 6 for setting a time shown in FIG. 3 is displayed. In the time setting software input region 6, by a touch of an up arrow key or a down arrow key with respect to each of “hour” and “minute”, a desired value can be set to each of the “hour” and “minute”. Then, by a touch of the SW button (decision) 3, the set values can be decided, or by a touch of the SW button (cancel) 4, the displaying portion can be returned to the mode selecting screen 1 without the time setting being changed. In addition, by the HW button (cross), the setting of“hour” and “minute” can be changed.
When the user information setting function is activated, that is, when the user name mode is set, a user name inputting software input region 7 for registering a user name shown in FIG. 4, for example, is set on the displaying portion. The user name inputting software input region 7 includes a software keyboard area 8 surrounded by a boldface box in FIG. 4. The software keyboard area 8 includes a portion for inputting a character and a symbol (“a” (Japanese hiragana character) button, etc.; hereinafter called an SW button (character)) and a portion for executing a function (a “kana” (Japanese hiragana character) button, a “katakana” (Japanese katakana character) button, a “←: backspace” button 8a, a “decision” button 8b, a “cancel” button 8c, etc. ; hereinafter called an SW button (function)). The user can input a desired character and symbol, or execute a predetermined function by touching the SW button (character) or the SW button (function) displayed on the software keyboard area 8 with a pen or the like. In a case that the SW button (function) is touched, a touch of the SW button (←: backspace) 8a allows the character and the symbol input immediately before to be erased, a touch of the SW button (decision) key 8b allows the input user name to be decided, and a touch of the SW button (cancel) 8c allows a return to the mode selecting screen 1 without the current user name being changed. In addition, by an operation of the HW button (cross) to thereby move the cursor, any one of the SW button (character) and the SW button (function) within the software keyboard area can be selected. Then, by a touch of the SW button (input) 3′, if the SW button (character) is selected with the cursor, the relevant character is input, and if the SW button (function) is selected with the cursor, a predetermined function is executed. Furthermore, by a touch of the SW button (erase) 4′, the character and the symbol which are input immediately before can be erased. It should be noted that by the HW button (cross), the SW key (input) 3′ and the SW key (erase) 4′ cannot be selected with the cursor.
Also, as to the language selecting software input region and the time setting software input region, by an operation of the HW button (A) instead of a touch of the SW button (decision) 3, it is possible to decide a selection, and by an operation of the HW button (B) instead of a touch of the SW button (cancel) 4, it is possible to return to the setting of the mode selecting software input region 1 without the current setting being changed.
On the other hand, in the user name inputting software input region, by an operation of the HW button (A) instead of a touch of the SW button (input) 3, the character corresponding to the SW button (character) currently selected with the cursor can be input, or the function corresponding to the SW button (function) currently selected with the cursor can be executed. Furthermore, by an operation of the HW button (B) instead of a touch of the SW button (erase) 4, the character and the symbol input immediately before can be erased.
As described above, while the process to be executed by an operation of the HW button (A) and the HW button (B) and the process to be executed by a touch of the two SW buttons arranged at the lower part of the screen mean “decision of selection” and “return to the setting of the mode selecting software input region without changing the current setting” in the language selecting software input region and the current time setting software input region, but mean “input of the character which is being currently selected with a cursor (or execution of the function)” and “erasure of the character and the symbol which are input immediately before” in the user name inputting software input region, being short of a unity in sense of an operation.
Furthermore, in the user name inputting software input region, the SW button (SW button (decision) 8b and the SW button (cancel) 8c) for executing processing of “decision of selection”, and “return to the setting of the mode selecting software input region without changing the current setting” are added to the software keyboard area anew.
In the related art, in a case that the user name inputting software input region 7 shown in FIG. 4 is set to the displaying portion, the processing to be executed by an operation of the HW button (A) or the HW button (B) and the processing to be executed by a touch of the SW buttons 3′ or 4′ arranged at the lower part of the screen are changed from the first for the purpose of a character input as described above. Thus, even if the user uses the HW button (A) or the HW button (B) and the two SW buttons 3′ or 4′ displayed at the lower part of the screen in a state that the user name inputting software input region is displayed, the user cannot decide the input from that time or return to the previous state (mode selecting screen in FIG. 1, for example) just as the language selecting software input region or the time setting software input region is displayed. Furthermore, in a case that the user inputs a user name by utilizing only the touch panel without utilizing the HW button, the functions of the SW buttons at the lower part are changed, so that the positions of the SW buttons and the keys of “character input”, “character erase”, “decision” and “cancel” are different from those displayed on other screen. Accordingly, in the related art, the functions of the SW button and the HW button are partly changed from one screen to another, causing uncomfortable feeling in operation.